China's textile and apparel branding is shifting from 'existence' to 'excellence'. The 'Textile and Apparel Excellence Brand Cultivation Action Plan (2026-2028)', jointly issued by five ministries, sets a key number: at least 25 excellence brands within three years. This is not a simple quantitative target but a watershed moment from extensive expansion to precise cultivation in the industry's brand strategy.
Policy Focus: A Systematic Shift from Scale to Value
Over the past two decades, China's textile and apparel industry has become the core of the global supply chain through manufacturing scale and cost advantages, but brand premium has remained a weakness. This joint ministerial document packages industrial policy, talent cultivation, market regulation, communication promotion, and intellectual property protection into a systematic institutional toolkit, aiming to build comprehensive support for brand growth. The plan simultaneously launches research on an evaluation index system, meaning future 'excellence' will no longer be subjective but scientifically measurable. Sun Ruizhe, President of CNTAC, emphasized in his interpretation that 'quality first, selecting the best among the best' is the clear guideline, with quality resources concentrated on brands with real potential, heritage, and responsibility.
For the industry, this sends a clear signal: brand support will no longer be universal but precisely targeted through a tiered, dynamically managed incubation system. Brands relying solely on short-term marketing hype may be excluded, while those with manufacturing solidity, cultural roots, and technological strength will gain more policy benefits.
Industry Impact: Technology, Culture, and Green as New Brand Foundations
Sun pointed out that the industry is accelerating its transformation into technology, fashion, and green textiles. The growth path of excellence brands must deeply align with these three main lines: using technological innovation to solidify quality, Oriental aesthetics to enrich cultural heritage, and responsible development to enhance brand warmth. This means the evaluation dimensions of brand competitiveness will undergo fundamental changes. Single price advantages or channel capabilities will no longer be core indicators; factors like number of technology patents, cultural IP development level, and carbon footprint management capabilities will be incorporated into the brand value assessment system.
For traditional industrial clusters like Keqiao, Shengze, and Nantong, this policy will force supply chain enterprises to transform from OEM to brand operation. Companies need to increase investment in R&D and design, find differentiation in cultural narratives, and prepare for green production in advance. Those that have already built technology barriers or possess intangible cultural heritage resources will gain first-mover advantages in brand cultivation competition.
Industry Organization Role: From Service Provider to System Driver
CNTAC, as the industry organization, will play a core execution role in implementing the plan. Sun Ruizhe proposed six specific work directions:
- Establish an 'excellence brand' incubation mechanism with tiered and dynamic management
- Conduct in-depth brand diagnostic services with professional consultations
- Continuously collect and promote brand stories to uncover cultural roots and innovation practices
- Actively build public service platforms integrating design, technology, and channel resources
- Promote deep integration of cultural tourism activities with brand consumption
- Intensify brand talent cultivation to build a team with design, management, and international vision skills
The essence of this framework is to transform government policy resources into actionable tools for the industry. For small and medium-sized textile enterprises, diagnostic services and public platforms may become the most direct beneficiaries, as they generally lack specialized brand-building teams and funding. Industry organization intervention can effectively lower the threshold and trial-and-error costs of branding.